Un sueño Americano. Mi historia. (American Son: My Story)
Reviewed byYolanda J. Cuesta, Cuesta MultiCultural Consulting, Sacramento, CA -- Críticas, 8/15/2008 8:58:00 AM
De La Hoya, Oscar with Steve Springer.
tr. by Santiago Ochoa. U.S.: Rayo: HarperCollins. 2008. 266p. ISBN 978-0-06-164513-6. $19.95. AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Born in East Los Angeles, De La Hoya became America’s Golden Boy when he won the only gold medal in boxing at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. When he turned professional, he went on to win 10 world titles in six different weight classes, defeating 17 world champions along the way. He remains an active boxer while evolving rapidly into a leading force in the promotion of boxing events both in the ring and on television. His business interests now include his own clothing line; a 25 percent ownership in the Houston Dynamo, a major league soccer championship team; and ownership of numerous boxing publications, including Ring Magazine, KO Magazine, and World Boxing Magazine. He even recorded a Grammy-nominated Latin pop CD. He is an icon among Latinos, giving back to the community he sprang from through his charitable foundation and his focus on urban development in Latino neighborhoods. American Son tells Oscar’s story—how he came to put on boxing gloves at age six, the influence of his family’s boxing tradition and the Latino neighborhood where he grew up, the special relationship with his mom, the impact of her devastating death at an early age, and his ups and downs as a boxer, an entrepreneur, and a human being. Although the translation is a bit stilted and awkward at times, Oscar’s life is compelling and will keep readers engrossed. An inspiring and motivating title for young and aspiring athletes, an entertaining description of the ins and outs of a boxing career, and a fascinating insight into a Latino hero; highly recommended for large library collections and bookstores.
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